


Shared Madness

by Kai_99, Selyne



Category: Hannibal (TV), Hannibal Lecter Series - All Media Types
Genre: Asylum, Canon-Typical Violence, Hannibal is horny, Jealousy, M/M, Manipulation, Minor Character Death, Obsession, Orderly Will, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Possessive Behavior, Rape/Non-con Elements, Will is dark, alternative universe, inmate hannibal, not between the mains tho, so is everyone else who saw Will's booty
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:54:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27672979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kai_99/pseuds/Kai_99, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selyne/pseuds/Selyne
Summary: Will Graham thought that a master's degree in forensics psychology would get him a decent job after quitting his job at the FBI, but he had to settle for working as an orderly at the BSHCI. Everything was going alright, until Chilton makes him the primary caretaker of Hannibal Lecter.
Relationships: Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter
Comments: 44
Kudos: 237





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hello!  
> The first chapter is collaboration between [Kai_99](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kai_99/pseuds/Kai_99), [Selyne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selyne), [MaddieContrary](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaddieContrary) and [C0GN1T1VE](https://archiveofourown.org/users/C0GN1T1VE/pseuds/C0GN1T1VE). 
> 
> beta'd by Selyne
> 
> Also there's a bit noncon part (not between mains), it starts after (*) and ends before the second (*). You can skip the part if you want, I've put a little summary in the end notes so you don't miss out anything.

Will Graham had to leave his job at the FBI so he didn’t end up locked at BSHCI when things got messy after the Minnesota Shrike case. His boss, Jack Crawford, did his utter best to goad Will back in the field but Will didn't relent. 

One would think that a master’s degree in forensic psychology would get a man some decent job, but Will's antisocial personality makes him an undesirable employee. His aversion to eye contact and touch also doesn't help the matter. Even the most mundane jobs require him to be 'sociable', which is an ability Will was not born with. After months of odd jobs to save enough money to pay his rent, Jack pitied him enough to get him a job interview at Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane.

The irony is not lost on Will.

Getting a job at BSHCI was not as difficult as he had initially thought. The head orderly, Barney Mathews, asked him a few questions. Mostly focused on the time he would be comfortable working and stuff like that. It seems that there is no experience required to work there - other than not being dumb enough to die by an insane patient. 

Will is in charge of the second basement level, where the most notorious serial killers are held. Because of his previous job, Will has heard of some of them; Abel Gideon, the man who murdered his wife and in-laws on Thanksgiving; Miguel 'Multiple Miggs' Smith, who is a serial rapist, and their very own resident cannibal; Hannibal Lecter, who was caught by a young trainee, Miriam Lass. She didn't make out alive but the man responsible was caught. 

Will has yet to meet Hannibal Lecter. Only Barney deals with him because, apparently, the man is big on politeness and Barney is the only one who can tolerate him enough to act civilized around him. Plus, Will heard that they don't throw _'fresh meat'_ at Doctor Lecter, he scares them away in one day. 

Despite Will's initial skepticism, his job is not that bad. Nobody expects him to be sociable - except Matthew, who likes Will for some reason - and even the pay is good enough to pay bills and buy groceries. Everything is going smoothly - or rather, it was until Doctor Frederick Chilton called him to his office one evening before his shift started. 

Like almost everyone in the universe who had the unfortunate experience of being in the presence of Doctor Frederick Chilton for longer than ten minutes; Will finds that even with the patience of a Saint - which he doesn’t possess - Chilton tests him. If he had known that being under Chilton's employ would mean suffering the constant attention of the pompous ass, he might have given this job a hard pass.

There's something about the way Chilton stares at him whenever they cross paths. A calculating and possessive glance, like he enjoys having Will working in his hospital. He certainly seems to enjoy pestering Will, using every opportunity to drag Will into his office. 

\--

Will isn’t sure what’s worse, Chilton or the chair he is made to sit in across from the other man. There is a spring out of place and it presses uncomfortably into his left buttock. Will sighs and tries not to glare at Chilton who looks smug for some reason Will doesn’t care about. 

“Now Will, it’s been about a month since you started working in our hallowed institution, right? Long enough to get into the swing of things?” He leans forward, baring a toothy smile at Will that doesn’t reach his eyes.

Will looks across at him over the rim of his glasses. Did Chilton expect him to answer that question? “So!” _Apparently not_ , “Barney tells me you’re learning the ropes fast enough. Time to give you some more responsibility I think, see what you do with it.” 

The other man is in the habit of hearing himself talk so Will doesn't say anything. 

"You must have heard about Hannibal Lecter, considering your previous job." 

Chilton has made it no secret that he has snooped in Will's past, he knows that Will worked for the FBI. He has tried many times to get Will to spill beans about his 'skills' and Will has deferred the advances as well as Chilton's some _other_ untoward advances until now. If Will was not in such dire need of a job, he would have punched Chilton in the face when he 'accidentally' touched Will from behind. An _accident_ that keeps happening again and again. For the time being, Will only prayed that the man could keep his hands to himself until Will could find some other job. 

"I have," he replies. 

"Good good. Then you must be aware of the danger Lecter possesses for my employees." 

Oh, Will is well aware. Matthew was kind enough to fill in Will with all the gossip in the previous month. Danny, an unfortunate orderly, got his tongue ripped out by Doctor Lecter for sputtering vulgarities. Will is also aware of the fact that how much Chilton hates Doctor Lecter for some personal reason. 

"I am." 

"Then you would be perfect for the new job. Barney is retiring soon and he wants to get you ready for taking over his job before leaving."

Nausea rose unwelcome in the back of his throat.

_Will is lurching forward, grabbing Chilton by his offensively lilac lapels, deftly winding the phone cable around his throat, and pulling so, so tightly_. 

Except that Will is not doing any of those homicidally violent things. He’s sitting there blinking at Chilton. His hands are tingling from the phantom pressure of the phone cable biting into his skin, only they weren’t, because he hadn’t strangled Chilton to death in his own office. But he wants to do it very badly right now. So badly that for a moment he thought he had.

“Mr. Graham. Are you quite alright?” Chilton’s face is scrunched up enough for Will to realize he’s just been staring at him mutely for a good ten seconds too long. 

“Barney's - oh yes, I think I recall Matthew mentioning it," an uncomfortable warmth is swamping up Will's back between his uniform and the old leather of the chair, "and you want me monitoring Doctor Lecter. Fine. That's - just fine.” 

_It isn’t fine._

\--

Will is still reeling from the news of his unexpected promotion when Chilton calls Barney to introduce Will to Hannibal Lecter. It seems like Will is going to be presented to royalty instead of a convicted patient with the amount of preparation they took to take him down. He is aware that they are just making sure that he doesn't have anything on him that can be used as a weapon but all the touching just makes him uncomfortable. 

Barney is walking behind Will, almost as if he is worried that Will is going to run away as soon as he sees Hannibal Lecter. 

They walk down the corridor that Will has taken so many rounds in, never straying further than Abel Gideon's cell, where he knows the infamous doctor stays. Will can't say why he didn't meet the man before this, it's not fear that has kept Will away but something else. Like an impending sense of dread that if he ever stepped across that invisible line, he would never be able to turn back. 

He stops before the line now, unsure if he wants to go through with this. He can refuse Chilton, he can't be forced to do something he doesn't want. Right? But why he doesn't feel that way?

It feels more like this is inevitable, this - whatever _this_ is - is going to happen whether he wants or not. 

"Will, are you alright?" Barney asks with a concerned voice. 

Feeling stupid for letting the rumors get to him, Will nods and steps across the invisible line. 

The first thing he notices is how luxurious the cell is - compared to the other cells at least - there is a desk in one corner of the cell with various pencils and papers neatly arranged on top. A few sketches are hanging on the walls with scotch tape. There's also a small plastic barrier in front of the toilet to grant a sense of privacy. 

Will is confused. If Chilton hates Lecter, why did he give the man so many things? 

His thoughts are cut by a deep, accented voice saying his name, "Hello, Will."

Hannibal Lecter stands in the middle of the cell, proud in his stainless white jumpsuit, like a king holding court. He is taller and broader than what Will imagined, physique well maintained despite being in a mental hospital. Will keep his eyes firmly on the prominent cheekbones of the older man, feeling the intense gaze on his face. 

"Hello, Doctor Lecter." 

"I wanted to introduce Will to our routines today," Barney said, "so that there is as little disruption as possible when I leave."

"I am well acquainted with Will here, I've been hearing him shuffle about here all month," Doctor Lecter's mouth stretches in an amused smirk, revealing sharp teeth hidden behind the full lips, "of course, it is only today that I've had the pleasure of actually seeing him."

Will dares to sneak a glance up and is instantly captivated by the strangest eyes he has ever seen.

_Melted caramel in the sunlight_ ; that's what Will thinks Doctor Lecter's eyes look like - not the sinister red the orderlies have said they were - but it's not the color of his eyes that has Will frozen in place like deer in headlights, no, it's the strange look in those eyes. Even with his empathy, he can't decipher the complex emotions in that look. Nor does the doctor give him enough time to do so before speaking again, "Tell me, Will, were you afraid of what you might find in this cell."

"No, I just didn't have any reason to come."

"I suppose that is true. We must thank Barney then, for finally giving you a reason to come to _me_."

Will doesn't miss the way the other man stresses the word 'me', neither does Barney. The head orderly shuffles uncomfortably. Will has seen Barney deal with Doctor Lecter enough times from afar that it is clear that the reason for his discomfort is Will, which in turn makes Will uncomfortable. 

Barney reminds him about the letter he was supposed to give Doctor Lecter. Will walks a few steps to the side where a metal slot opens to exchange things without getting in the grabbing range of the bars of the cells and drops the paper inside. Will almost flinches back when he realizes that Doctor Lecter has also moved with him, and he is standing much closer to the bars than before. Will watches in fascination as the other man tilts his head forward, closes his eyes, and breathes deeply. 

"You smell like apples, motor oil, and mud under that unfortunate aftershave of yours." 

Will huffs in irritation and replies without thinking, "I would say something about yours but then again, you're not allowed one."

Doctor Lecter’s answering smile is full of teeth.

“I see they’ve sent me a sparring partner this time.”

“Please don’t antagonize the orderlies I’ve selected for you, Doctor Lecter,” Barney’s voice comes from afar, sounding wry. “Otherwise Doctor Chilton would send you the orderlies _he_ selects next time.”

“Ah,” Doctor Lecter’s eyes sparkle with amusement as he glances at Barney, “can’t have that now, can we?” 

For a moment, Doctor Lecter’s eyes flick to the camera in the hall, eyebrows raised in acknowledgment, knowing that Chilton is watching their every move even now. Will can’t help the smile that creeps on his face at the powerplay despite himself. He schools his expression as fast as he can, but Doctor Lecter catches it regardless.

\--

For the rest of the shift, Will learns the routines and procedures required to deal with such a high-security prisoner. He stays focused, or at least he tries to stay focused - to not think of Dr. Lecter's interest in him, in his reaction to that interest - but it's a losing battle. No matter what Will is doing, his thoughts stray back to the older man. It says something about Will that he is getting excited by the prospect of gaining the attention of a convicted serial killer and a cannibal. 

"Did the fucker freaked ya out?"

Will nearly jumps out of his skin at the unexpected voice. He turns around to find Matthew leaning against the doorway with a grin on his face. 

"Who?"

"Lecter. Heard Barney took you down to meet the freak."

Will doesn't know how to identify the feeling bubbling inside of him at hearing Matthew talk about Doctor Lecter like that. Will doesn't know why Matthew is showing this much hostility towards Doctor Lecter. Even from a few minutes of talking with the older man, Will gets the idea that Doctor Lecter is the epitome of civility. He may think of himself above the common _pigs_ but he would never be rude to them. 

"Doctor Lecter doesn't scare me," he replies simply and turns his back to the other man. 

"It's _Doctor_ now, is it?" 

Will doesn't rise to the bait and after a few minutes of tense silence, Matthew leaves, slamming the door unnecessarily. 

_What the fuck is his problem?_

First day of training and Will has gained a 'sparring partner', pissed off his friend - or whatever Matthew is - over something he doesn't even know he did, and talked shit about Chilton with Barney. All in all, it's not bad. 

\--

That night Will has some very nebulous dreams. He wakes up hard, but confused as to why. He dreams of a blood lake and a ravenstag, a dark winter forest, and through it all, he gets a sense of Doctor Lecter observing him from afar. 

\--

The giddy anticipation that Will was feeling all the way to the work burst like a balloon when he sees Chilton waiting for him at the front desk and asks Will to accompany him to his office. Chilton sits in his chair, chest puffing out. It doesn't take a genius to figure out who Fredrick is trying to imitate. It's almost pathetically stupid. 

"Barney told me about your visit to Hannibal yesterday. I have to say, I'm quite impressed, Mr. Graham," there is a glint of wickedness in Chilton's eyes like he knows something that Will should know, "It seems that not only you got the approval from Barney, but also from our dear cannibal friend too."

Will's stomach clenches at the mention of Doctor Lecter and the fact that the man approves for Will to be his primary handler. Will is not sure if he should be happy about the promotion or scared for his life. Both seem to be the answer, but the reasons being that he is entirely too pleased by the prospect of spending more time with Doctor Lecter, and scared for not being afraid of it. 

"Your duties include making sure his meals are delivered on time and are up to his standards, he might try to take a bite out of you if the meat is not fresh enough. Take him for a thirty minutes walk in the evening. Check his cell for contraband and concealed weapons. Take him to the shower area after the rest of the inmates have used it and don't let him out of your sight even for a second."

Will is so busy calculating the amount of time he'll be spending with Doctor Lecter that he doesn't even say anything as Chilton puts a hand on his lower back - fingers almost touching his ass - and escorts him out of the office. Will shudders at the feeling of Chilton's hand, but the thought of seeing Doctor Lecter nude and wet is so - intriguing. 

They hand Will a taser gun for subduing Doctor Lecter if he tries to attack Will during shower time. The guards stand at the door of the shower area, close enough that they would be alert to any unusual activity but far enough that they wouldn't be able to reach Will in time if Doctor Lecter did decide to sample his flesh. 

Will leads Doctor Lecter to the enclosed shower area at the back of the room. It is covered from two sides by the wall and the third side by a plastic cover like the toilet in the cell, it doesn't have a door, instead, Will is supposed to stand there. Keeping watch on Doctor Lecter's every move.

Honestly, Will doesn't get the deal between Doctor Lecter and Chilton. Sure they hate each other but despite that Doctor Lecter is given more privileges than most inmates here. Will wonders if making an orderly watch Doctor Lecter as he showers is some kind of play to get back at the older man by humiliating him. 

Not that Doctor Lecter is feeling any particular shame. 

Doctor Lecter stands right in front of Will and starts opening the buttons of his jumpsuit to reveal a white tee shirt underneath. Will turns his face away as the older man hooks his fingers in his boxers and the bottom part of the jumpsuit and pulls down. A sharp sound of finger-snapping makes Will jerk his head towards the guards who gesture him to keep his eyes on the inmate. 

Will feels his face heat up as he takes in the expanse of naked flesh revealed to him. The standard uniform does not do any justice to the man's physique. From the broad shoulders to the thick arms, to those long legs; Doctor Lecter is a sight to behold, and don't get Will start on those pale chest hair. As soon as his eyes start going on the downward path below the older man's navel, Will snaps his face up. Of course, he still gets a glimpse of the uncut cock - it'd be impossible to miss _that_ \- but ogling is a step too far. As soon as Will looks up, he catches the smug expression on the older man's face. 

Will swallows as Doctor Lecter takes two steps back to stand under the shower and begin lathering soap on his body. His movements are efficient and quick but somehow still sensual. All the while Doctor Lecter maintains eye contact with him, until Will breaks it. Not out of a sense of shame, but because Will is helpless to do anything but follow the path of the older man's hands with his eyes. It's like the other man's movements are hypnotic, making his fingers twitch to follow each swipe of the cloth with his touch. 

A door opens somewhere, pulling Will out of his trance. 

"Here," comes the impatient command from Matthew, as he all but throws the towel and fresh clothes at Will. He barely manages to save them from being ruined. 

Matthew's right eyebrow twitches as he glances between Will and Doctor Lecter, like he could see the perverse thoughts going through Will's head. Will turns his attention back to Doctor Lecter in time to catch a glimpse of something dark in his eyes before it's gone. He takes a step toward the doctor and passes the towel silently, making the older man smirk for some reason at Matthew. 

"When you're done here, come find me. I wanna talk to ya," Matthew says. 

The way Matthew turns the sentence in order makes Will bristle. He doesn't bother acknowledging the other orderly with a response. Just because he is quiet, doesn't mean that he would let everyone walk over him. Matthew huffs and walks away. 

Doctor Lecter dries himself and hands Will the towel. Will is so busy folding the towel that he doesn't notice when Doctor Lecter dresses and takes two steps towards Will, standing a hair too close. Will freezes in place, afraid and excited at the same time. The older man raises his hands and waits for Will to gather enough sense to cuff him again. This close he is looming over Will. Will doesn't dare raise his eyes in fear of what he might find there this time, or what the older man might find in his.

Maybe if Will was looking he would have seen Doctor Lecter nod to the guards who begin talking to each other, completely ignoring Will's startled yelp as Doctor Lecter noses along his ear to his cheek. 

"You look absolutely _delicious_ in your shyness, Will," the older man says and then bites Will on the cheek. Not deep, but enough to sting, which the older man then soothes with his tongue. It should be disgusting, or at least horrifying, but the sound Will makes as Doctor Lecter sucks the flesh between his lips is anything but. There is only one point of contact between them and it still feels like too much. Before Will could even understand what's happening, Doctor Lecter pulls back with a lick on his reddened cheek, making Will sway on his feet. 

The older man chuckles at his flushed face and walks away as if nothing happened. Will follows after him, trying to control his flush, ~~hoping~~ wondering if it would happen again next time. 

\--

The whole way back to Doctor Lecter's cell, Will tries his best to control the dizzying sensation coursing through him at the memories of what transpired a few minutes ago. Doctor Lecter is walking ahead of him, completely relaxed while Will is struggling to think of an appropriate excuse for the vivid red mark on his face if someone asked about it. There are no cameras in the shower area and the guards were distracted so nobody would come to interrogate him if he doesn't tell anyone about what happened.

But Will should tell, shouldn't he? A cannibal literally just _tasted_ him and called him _delicious_ , and yet he can't bring himself to tell about it. Will tells himself that the reason for his reluctance is that he could lose his job as he didn't yell for help, or used the taser. They would think that he can't handle Doctor Lecter, which is not entirely untrue. But it's not like the older man had tried to harm him, not really. It felt like he was being tested, like the man wanted to see what he would do. 

Will bumps right into Doctor Lecter as the man stops in front of his cells. 

"You are awfully distracted, Will," the older man says with an amused voice as he enters the cell, "mind sharing your thoughts with the class.

"I think I prefer you getting handsy than Chilton's attempts," Will mused absentmindedly. 

Will's brain catches up to his mouth as he sees Doctor Lecter's whole body stiffen at his words. Will just basically admitted that he prefers to be groped by a Goddamn serial killer. What is wrong with him? No wonder he didn't clear the screening process at the FBI. 

"Frederick touched you?" 

Doctor Lecter asks in a calm, controlled voice. He is still as a statue, no emotions betraying his face. His eyes, however, are shining in a murderous rage - looking more like the crusted blood color that everyone says they are. 

_Oh._

Will swallows, unable to determine how to answer that. Everyone knows how lecherous Chilton is, how he has harassed many orderlies long before Will started to work here. And yet, no one dared to say a word to anyone. He overhead Denice, a fellow orderly, saying to someone that Chilton has never been this handsy with anyone else and that Will is probably encouraging Chilton. Will had wanted to sneak to the bathroom to cry that day. Even if by some miracle someone believed Will instead of thinking that he is some gold digger taking shots at the reputation of a respected man, he can't risk his job. Will knows that Chilton won't fire him, no, he would make Will's life a living hell here.

Will must have let something show on his face as Doctor Lecter's gaze turns concerned and he takes a step towards Will. 

Will panics. 

He shoves Doctor Lecter back. The man barely manages to gain his footing but Will locks the door and takes a staggering step back, panting harshly. Will's mistake becomes apparent as Doctor Lecter calls his name in alarm, trying to warn him, but it's too late. An arm wraps around his throat, pulling him firmly against the bars of the cell behind him.

The shrill sound of the alarm ringing makes Will even more panicked, but the real horror comes from the knowledge that murder is the farthest intent his abuser has in mind because Will is trapped in the clutches of Miggs who has him by the throat against the bars.

"Pretty boy! Let's have some fun, Pretty boy," Miggs says as he started humping Will as best as he could. Will feels nauseated at the hardness pressing unrelenting against his ass through the bars. 

"Miguel, leave the boy this instant."

Doctor Lecter's order falls on deaf ears and his lips twitch back in a snarl. 

Will claws at the arm keeping him in place to free himself, but he freezes as his airway starts to cut off. A warning that this could turn much uglier if he doesn't comply. 

"Do not fight him, Will. Relax, the guards are coming."

*****

Will listens to Doctor Lecter's advice and stops struggling. A few seconds later, a buzzer sounds from the end of the hall, indicating that someone is coming to rescue him. Unfortunately, Miggs can hear it too and realizes that his toy is about to be ripped from his hands. He uses his other hand to grope between Will's legs, squeezing him painfully. Will makes a distressing whine and moves his hips back to escape the unwelcome touch, but all that does is just push his ass firmly against the other man. 

"Oh, you like that, don't you? I know you do, I know. Been waiting for weeks to get my hands on you, pretty boy!"

Matthew is finally there, along with two guards. The guards, not wanting to take the chance of Miggs hurting Will, take caution in approaching the cell. Will knows that they're planning on letting Miggs finish and use that time to grab him. Miggs is not even bothered by their presence, instead, he is more excited by the prospect. Thankfully, Miggs stops groping Will, instead using his hand to jerk off. Will is forced to endure it all until Miggs moans and makes a mess on Will's trousers. 

Without a doubt, the most humiliating part of the whole ordeal is that Doctor Lecter has a front row seat to this show. 

Riding the high of his orgasm, Miggs loosens his arm around Will's throat for a second - but it’s enough for Will to escape. The guards are instantly opening the cell to restrain the inmate, but not before Miggs had one more chance to humiliate Will. He swings his arm and throws his cum at Will. 

That is the last straw. Will pushes Matthew away and enters the cell himself. 

"Coming for more, pretty - "

*****

Miggs doesn't get the chance to finish before Will punches him in the face. The satisfying crunch of a broken nose sends a shiver down his spine. He doesn't stop there, he continues to beat the man - not caring that he would be probably suspended - wanting to return that feeling of being _powerless_. Will didn't stop until the guards manage to pull him off, and by then, the rapist was almost dead. 

Matthew drags Will out of the cell, kicking and snarling. He wraps his arms around the shorter man, restraining Will effectively. It was the worst thing he could have done in the situation; Will was just restrained and abused by a vile man in a similar manner, and forcing him again is not going to do any good. Will's skin feels as if it's crawling with spiders, he shudders in disgust. He needs to wash himself, he can feel the cum drying on his skin. He needs to be away, he can't be here. There are too many people here, too many voices fighting for dominance in his head. His fortress's walls are in rubble, he let Miggs get under his skin. But who can blame Will? Nothing like this has ever happened to Will. 

"William."

That deep voice pulls his attention like a moth to a flame. He stops struggling to look at Doctor Lecter. The older man is looking at him with such intensity that Will feels both exposed and safe. He keeps his eyes on the doctor, taking in the calm composure that he could not find anywhere else. 

"That's it. Match your breathing with Mr. Brown’s."

Will gets the feeling that Doctor Lecter would rather not have Matthew anywhere near Will - and Will finds that he doesn't mind the possessiveness, not when it comes from Doctor Lecter. While Will works to pull his shields back in place, the guards take Miggs to the medical ward. Once Will has his thoughts back on track, he straightens up. There is a reluctance from the other man before he lets Will go. 

A guard calls Matthew from the end of the hall and he turns to Will with an expectant look. 

"You go ahead, I'll be there in a minute," Will says. 

If it wasn't for the impatient guard calling Matthew again, Will is sure he would have argued about leaving Will alone with Doctor Lecter. Will is not even sure why he wants to stay here when he was just - when this happened. Will waits until he is sure that he is alone in the hallway before walking right in front of the cell. Doctor Lecter is doing something in the sink, his back is turned to Will. 

Will knows he is supposed to wait for the man to return and he is proven right when Doctor Lecter brings a damp hand towel. They are standing so close that the only thing that is separating them is the bars of the cell. Doctor Lecter raises his hand with the towel and waits. A silent question. Will nods and that's all the permission the older man needs to bring the warm towel to Will's cum stained face. 

Will closes his eyes, he can't look at Doctor Lecter now, not at his most vulnerable moment. 

Will sways with the movement of Doctor Lecter's hand as it glides across his cheek - the same one that was bitten only fifteen minutes before - down his neck in efficient movements. He doesn't have to open his eyes to know that the older man is observing the changes in his expressions with a laser-like focus. 

"Will?"

He hums, lulled into a state of pliancy by the ministrations. 

"Do not quit your job." 

At that, Will does look in the eyes that seem to change color; they are honey-golden again. 

"That's very selfish of you, Doctor. I had a traumatic experience, I should not keep any association with this place."

"Yes, it was a traumatic experience, but you also had a therapeutic experience as well just now."

"Beating a man to near death is therapeutic?" 

Will is barely aware of what he is saying. All he knows is that somehow, his hand is in the older man's smooth hands. 

"Quite. As a psychiatrist, I would say that you're a successful patient."

"Am I your patient now?"

The older man's eyes flick down to his lips, before coming back to stare him down again, "No."

There is a challenge in Doctor Lecter's eyes; daring Will to ask how Doctor Lecter sees him. But that is not something Will is ready to face. Everything is moving too fast for him to even understand what is happening in the present moment. He never has before, but throwing the good doctor in the equation is not helping him in the least. 

Even if Will is not ready to ask that specific question, he needs to know the reason behind the older man's interest in him.

"Why?" he asks.

"Because I find you interesting."

So simple. Doctor Lecter finds Will interesting because Will is interesting. What a strange notion. Will is not even moderately interesting, but something inside him preens at the admission. Feeling that he is expected to answer, Will goes for the most obvious one.

"Well, I don't find _you_ that interesting.

Doctor Lecter smiles, revealing sharp canines that were hidden behind those lush lips, and says, "Liar."

Will suppresses a shiver at the accusation, he doesn't object because it is true, he is lying. But he is not about to actually admit that. 

"Take leave for a few days and come back to me," Doctor Lecter orders - because, yes, that is exactly what it is - and pull Will's hand to his lips.

It is then that Will notice his bruised and throbbing knuckles. Doctor Lecter brushes his lips lightly against the bleeding knuckles before firmly licking them. The wet glide of the tongue causes the wounds to sting and he whimpers softly. Just like before, it is over entirely too soon. Doctor Lecter retrieves his hand from Will's and steps back, a clear sign that he is dismissed. Will silently walks away, mind still reeling from what happened. 

\--

This day was a roller coaster and Will is all but ready to pass out as soon as he gets home, but luck is not on Will's side today. One would think after the shit Will just went through Chilton would show a little mercy on him and let him go home for the day at least, but no, he called Will in his office again. He doesn't offer Will a seat, a power play to make Will squirm. Too bad that it's not going to happen anytime soon. 

"Tell me what happened from the start," comes the order. 

Will retells the story, with as many details cut out as he could get away with. He can't give Chilton the reason why he was distracted or how he got in the grabbing range of Miggs in the first place. He would pull Will off of Doctor Lecter's duty and Will can't have that. He has barely gotten a taste of the older man's company and he is not ready to lose that. Not now yet. 

"You do realize that if the news gets out about this, you can be charged with abuse of power." 

Will blinks at the man in shock. Is he fucking kidding? He is actually making that disgusting man the victim here, like Will wasn't the one who was abused. It shouldn't surprise Will - the man sitting in front of him abused his power every day with Will and many others before him. Of course, he would spin the tale in whatever form suited him to keep Will under his thumb. After all, it wouldn't do Chilton any good if words got out that an orderly was assaulted under his administration. Better to snuff out the possibility of bad media now. Even if he has to crush the dignity and spirit of the victim, besides, it would serve his purpose of having leverage over Will. 

Up till now, Will was so careful to not give Chilton the upper hand, he was already his boss, the power imbalance was bad enough. And now Will has handed the ammo to be blackmailed on the silver platter. 

In just a mere two days his life has gotten so out of hand, he regrets taking this job, even if it's the reason for his meeting with Doctor Lecter. He feels like prey surrounded by predators, all intent on devouring him. 

"Now, don't look so gloomy, Mr. Graham, you should be very thankful that I have talked with the other orderlies and they've agreed to not say anything about this."

Will's stomach drops at the news. He should be thankful that at least he won't be charged with anything, but all he could think is how much he owes Chilton now. He feels nauseated by even the thought of what Chilton might ask in return - Because he would ask, he didn't do this from the goodness of his heart. 

"Thank you, Sir."

Will takes satisfaction with the wrong title as it pulls a wince from the other man. He refuses to call Chilton by the same title he uses for Doctor Lecter. Will is sure that the man is a more capable doctor than this buffoon of a man sitting in front of him. 

"It is my pleasure," now it's Will's turn to wince at the sheer amount of vulgarity the man manages to put in one sentence. "Now, take a break and come back, it's nearly time for Hannibal's walk." 

Will opens his mouth and closes again. Completely dumb stuck. Does this man have no sympathy? Does he not understand what just happened to Will? He can't honestly expect Will to just shake it off and get back to work as if nothing happened. This kind of stuff leaves a scar on the psyche of a person. Will knows that he is in no position to quit his job because of his financial reasons, but at the very least the man could have granted him the courtesy of a few days off. 

Chilton is watching him closely, waiting for his response. He knows exactly what he is asking of Will and what it's doing to him but the man doesn't care. Will is not sure what exactly Chilton's agenda is - other than getting in Will's pants - but he is too worn out to figure it out. He can ask for the time off himself but he won't, who knows what trouble he would invite by that. 

Will nods and leaves. He just exits the office when Matthew ambushes him. The other man grabs Will's arm and drags Will to the empty surveillance room. 

"What're you doing?" Will hisses at Matthew, rubbing his arm. 

"What the fuck are _you_ doin'? Do you know what else Miggs could have done to you given the time?" 

What is with the men in this hospital and their presumption that they can manhandle Will however they want? He is not some submissive thing that is willing to be pushed around. Just because he tolerates Chilton does not mean that it gives everyone reason to think that he is going to take bullying - even if it comes from some sort of misplaced sense of worry. 

"You think I don't realize that, huh?" 

"No, I don't think you do. You're lettin' Lecter get in your head."

Will sputters at the unexpected change to the topic, "What? How is it his fault now?"

"I know what he is doing! I can see it!"

"Oh yeah? Do share then?"

Will knows that he should back off, he is stressed and just went through a traumatic event. Doctor Lecter has helped him reinforce his mental shields successfully, but it did not come without a price. In doing so Will has stolen a part of the older man's personality. He can't help it, his empathy is a complicated condition. He stays away from people because after a while he starts absorbing their traits, his mind mirroring them, and with someone who has such a strong personality as Doctor Lecter's, Will is entirely helpless to stop it from happening. Not that he is even trying. Already he can feel his words and speech changing to something utterly unique to him. This whole thing is a new experience for him, never has he ever let this happen willingly - He wants to know what would happen. 

"He is manipulatin' you, Will!" 

Will laughs loudly at this. He can't believe this is the post Matthew wants to hitch his horse at. Everyone Will has ever met so far has been trying to manipulate him for their own purposes, he is not unaware of it - he knows all the tricks after all. 

"Don't try to think that I don't know _who_ is trying to do _exactly_ what, Matthew," he says with enough venom in his voice that the other man backs off instantly and changes his tactics. 

"I'm your friend, Will, I care - "

Will cuts him off, "You're not my friend, you don't know me. Just keep it professional, alright?"

Will watches the hurt flash in the other man's eyes before anger replaces it. He knows he hit a mark with his sharp words, but he can't bring himself to be sorry about it. He has been pushed too much today to care. It seems that Matthew also realizes this as he walks away without answering Will. Will shakes his head and tries to gather his thoughts but it's a useless endeavor. He is too wind up to calm himself enough to focus on one thing. 

Before he knows it, it’s time for Doctor Lecter's walk. Will gets up with a sigh and gives himself a pep talk to face the older man as he washes his face once again. He is still embarrassed that the doctor had to witness what happened to Will and then he cleaned the cum from Will's face. Will wants to die of mortification. 

\--

Doctor Lecter is surprised to see Will waiting for him to be cuffed before taking him down the hall to the elevator and out to the fenced garden. The only beautiful thing about the hospital is the lush garden with its rows of trees and numerous benches. 

Will is aware it's more for the looks than the comfort of patients, but it doesn't stop the patients from enjoying it. He knows he certainly does, he finds himself here quite often when he has time to spare. It's a welcome distraction from the congested building that makes Will feel like one day they won't let him go back from there. 

Doctor Lecter walks leisurely, enjoying the fresh air and natural light. Unlike the patients that are admitted on the upper level with a window in their room, he is only granted this luxury only thirty minutes a day. Not enough for a man like Doctor Lecter, he is not one to be confined. Will knows how ridiculous this sounds, no one belongs in cells, but seeing Doctor Lecter here is like expecting a lion to live in a cage. Alive but frustrated. 

Will expected some kind of questions from the older man but they walk in silence until Doctor Lecter asks to be taken back to his cell. The whole half-hour goes without a word being exchanged, Will would be worried about it if he doesn't realize that the other man is giving him space that everyone else didn't. A chance to breathe without the pressure of some expectations. 

The thought makes the ball of tension in Will unclench. 

As he locks the cell, he lingers for a moment too long, trying to convey what he couldn't through words - Because he doesn't need words with the older man. Doctor Lecter nods in understanding and smiles warmly at Will. A sight that stays with him all the way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> summary of the noncon part: Miggs grab Will through the bars of his cell. He humps Will until he orgasms and then throw his semen on Will. Will loses his shit and beat Miggs in a bloody pile.
> 
> This fic was born in ironlotus' server [ACOC](https://discord.gg/sJXpg9Dfvu) and is now growing in my [EvilServer](https://discord.gg/zfC4wdqzVs). You can join either of them if you're over 18.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Beta'd by Selyne
> 
> This chapter is Hannibal's pov of the previous chapter.

The possibility of being apprehended was always a looming thought at the back of his mind. Every crime scene was a risk despite his best effort to never leave any evidence that would lead the police to him. But it was just, as they say, a sheer amount of dumb luck that became the reason for his downfall at the hands of an FBI trainee. Hannibal would have respected Miriam Lass if she had caught him by her intelligence, but no, a careless mistake of leaving the sketch of his latest tableaux alerted Miriam of his true nature. Her survival instincts made up for the lack of intelligence at least. She ran instead of confronting him. He gave chase obviously but that day, if the metaphor is to be continued, luck was not on his side. He did not notice that she was calling her mentor to update him about the investigation when he sneaked up behind her to choke her in unconsciousness. By the time he realized his mistake, the FBI was bursting through his office door, led by none other than Jack Crawford. 

Hannibal knew he had no choice but to surrender and he did, but not before snapping the neck of the young woman, much to Jack's horror. 

Up till this day, Hannibal is not sure why Jack Crawford didn't pull the trigger then. He knows that the man wanted to - oh and how much Jack had wanted it, maybe this is the reason he didn't do it, maybe his sense of justice is on more solid ground than Hannibal gives him credit for. But whatever the reason, if someone had asked him, Hannibal would have preferred to go down fighting. An honorable end. Much preferable than this torturous monotony that his life has become. 

All day, every day for the past three years, Hannibal had suffered in the walls of his cage. Sure, he had blackmailed Chilton to allow him some semblance of belongings that help him occupy his days, but it is not enough. Even his mind palace has proven to be not enough these days. His sole entertainment is the drawings that he makes just to keep up appearances. He had never thought that a day would come when he would get tired of sketching; his favorite pastime. But then again, he was not restricted to one hobby until he was apprehended. He had plenty of options to choose from. Staying resilient is proving to be much more difficult than he initially thought. Of course, he still bears it with the utmost dignity, but he secretly worries about the day it would be out of his control and he would perish as many others have in these cells.

When it seemed like that that day was approaching fast, his savior came in the form of a new orderly. 

Hannibal perks up the first time he hears Barney Matthew, his primary handler, explaining the work he does down here. Knowing that 'fresh meat' came had Hannibal sitting up in his bed and waiting patiently to greet the newcomer. Except that he never gets to meet him. For days he hears the new man walking up and down the hallway, never coming to the very end where Hannibal's cell is located opposite Miguel's. The behavior of the man who brings smells like motor oil and sometimes dogs with him is strange. Even the ones who look like they would lose control of their bladder were curious enough to take a look at the BSHCI's resident cannibal.

Every day, he would sit on his desk and wait until the man comes down with the new scents from the outside world. Telling Hannibal about himself without knowing. The man lives a bachelor's life, that much was obvious, the number of hours the man worked would not be tolerated by any partner. Plus he never smelled any other person in the cocktail of scents that clings to the new orderly. 

In all honesty, Hannibal could have met the man if he had really wanted to. He could have called out for any number of reasons, faked an incident or he could have just stood a little closer to the bars where he would have easily seen the man. But he didn't. Mostly because these desperate acts are beneath him and because he was curious to see how this would play out. Would the man stay away indefinitely? Or would his curiosity get the better of him? Or will it be Hannibal who would surrender at last? 

This man, who Hannibal has yet to even see, has proven to be much more interesting than all the pencil lickers he has had the displeasure of meeting. When the one month mark passed, a strange sort of restlessness started to build in his mysterious companion; he would stop a few paces away from Hannibal's cell and wait for a few seconds before walking away. It seems that the orderly is also experiencing the strange curiosity by this whole thing they have going on. 

Hannibal is sure that it's only a matter of time before he'll win this game.

\--

Miguel is a vile and disgusting man that Hannibal pretends does not exist. He would not lower himself to the level of talking to that pig. He is aware Frederick deliberately put him near Miguel to irk him, knowing that he detests the man. Hannibal has never paid much attention to what Miguel has to say, that is until he starts talking about the new orderly with the occupant in the cell next to him. 

"Hey, Lecter!" Hannibal stiffens at the sound of his name from Miguel but doesn't answer. Not that it ever deterred the man from talking to him before. "I know you're awake, I know you are."

"Leave the old man alone, Mig," replies someone whose name Hannibal never bothered to learn, "poor bastard doesn't need to hear you jerk off. Again."

"Oh, but he does. He does! If he saw the new twink, he'd pop a boner too."

"That Graham guy?"

"Yeah! He's one real pretty bitch, ain't he?"

As much as Hannibal is relieved that Miguel is distracted enough that he won't have to hear the man masturbate for the fifth time this day, he is equally irritated that this is how he gets to know the name of the orderly. Oh, well. At least, he can stop referring to Graham as 'new orderly' in his mind.

Already he begins imagining how the man looks based on the name. Graham is a very masculine name and would make you think about a tall man with a greying beard, but based on the quiet sound of Graham's gait, and Miguel's comments about the man's appearance, Hannibal finds that he does not know what to expect. 

\--

Fate in the last decides that it would end their game in the most unexpected way. Barney tells him about his impending retirement one morning and his plans on making the new orderly, _Will_ _Graham_ , his replacement. Hannibal doesn't react in any way that may cause Barney to be suspicious of his interest. He would have to be very careful when he meets Will. It won't do him any good if the game is over before he has his fill. 

Hannibal stands patiently in his cell once again as Barney leads Will Graham down the part of the hall where the man has yet to step. He hears Will hesitate and for a second he worries that this would be all for nothing after all before the man _finally_ steps in front of him. 

Despite spending an embarrassing amount of time thinking about the other man's looks, Hannibal is not prepared to find Will so - attractive. Hannibal rakes his eyes up and down the boy's - because yes, Will is a boy. Compared to him at least - slimmer frame, taking every detail greedily. Like he might never get another chance - which is a high possibility if he doesn't behave. 

Will Graham has the most soft-looking brown curls that he has ever seen on a male. The younger man has a pale complexion - due to a lack of exposure to the sun and a proper diet, he notices - and red bitten, chapped lips. The boy looks more like a renaissance painting come to life than an orderly. What a delightful development.

While he is staring shamelessly at the younger man, Will has yet to properly look at him. Hannibal notices how Will has looked around his cell but didn't make eye contact with him. His blue eyes are firmly fixed somewhere on his face. 

_Repulsion to eye contact?_

"Hello, Will."

"Hello, Doctor Lecter."

Oh how that voice makes every hair on his arms stand on end; Sweet and melodic.

Hannibal resists the urge to wet his lips as he realizes the boy is looking at them as he talks to Barney. He doesn't know what is going through the younger man's thoughts as Will finally decides to meet his eyes unprovoked. Hannibal was not able to get a good look at Will's eyes until he is granted to see them, and he realizes that they are not just blue, they're a strange assortment of thousands of hues of blue with the specks of hazel. There is a charged silence the moment their eyes meet. A strange sort of anticipatory suspense passing between them by the mutual feeling of being _seen_. Hannibal feels stripped in front of the younger man. Like Will could see every dark recess of his mind and in turn, he could see the suppressed darkness in the younger man, identical to his own yet still different.

It's not that Hannibal has not seen many exotic featured people in his life before his captivity, he has had the pleasure of meeting many unique people, all beautiful in their own way, but there's something about Will Graham that calls to some darker part of Hannibal. 

Will's words and tone are deliberately just harsh enough to not be considered rude. Hannibal is vaguely aware of Barney's growing discomfort as they converse, it seems that he has failed to keep his interest leashed. But really, it is like asking the sun to not shine. Impossible. And that makes Will Graham dangerous. He has made as many enemies in this hospital as acquaintances over the years. Worst of them is Frederick, whose feathers have been ruffled too many times by him. God knows what he will do if he ever gets the wind of his increasing curiosities regarding this young man. 

But even knowing this, Hannibal can't stop himself from testing the boy to see what he would do. He scents Will, taking in the scent of a rather horrendous aftershave. 

"You smell like apples under that unfortunate aftershave of yours." 

Instead of being unnerved as one would expect from any normal person faced with a cannibalistic serial killer, Will huffs in annoyance and lashes out verbally. 

"I would say something about yours but then again, you're not allowed one."

Hannibal smiles, displaying his sharp teeth. He finds the younger man's behavior oddly endearing where he would normally be thinking ways to extract the tongue of the offender. How strange. Hannibal is not sure if his fascination is the result of finally finding a sparring partner after years of conversing with dim wits like Frederick, or if it's something else. He would be worried about this predicament if he was not sure that the younger man is also curious about him. Will parts with a small smile that he tries to smother unsuccessfully. Hannibal wants to tell the boy to smile more, it enhances the youthful beauty of his face, but he doesn't. While Will has proven to be of more tougher stuff than anyone he has ever met, it's still too soon. He watches the boy leave with an answering smile before sitting on his desk to draw his new muse. 

\--

Hannibal can't say that he is surprised to hear Matthew Browns come down to see him merely twenty minutes after Will leaves. Matthew is one of his kin, a fledgling serial killer who has yet to find his modus operandi. The other man is cunning, knows how to cover his tracks and combined with his immense bloodthirst, Hannibal is sure he would make a great killer one day. That is if he doesn't let his little obsessions get ahead of him. His latest one is Will Graham. Hannibal wonders if Matthew has gotten over _him_ or did just move down the list below Will. 

"Did you see him?" Matthew asks. 

The other man is practically bouncing with excitement. Now that Hannibal has met Will Graham, he can't say that he blames Matthew. 

"I did."

"What do you think of him?"

Hannibal stops sketching to think about what would be appropriate to answer, knowing that the man is only asking because he has assumed Hannibal is his mentor and wants approval of his new infatuation. Hannibal has let Matthew believe whatever the man wants because it would ultimately serve his purpose to escape from here. Up till now, he has dealt with Matthew carefully, not brushing him off completely and also not making the man think that his presence is necessary for Hannibal. He knows if he gave an inch, Matthew would exploit it and he would rather stay in this cell for all his life than let anyone have that kind of control over him. 

"I find Will quite interesting," he replies. 

"He is," the man agrees, not realizing what kind of interest Hannibal has taken in his supposed soon to be lover.

The thought of a person like Will Graham wasting his potential with the likes of Matthew Brown, who would discard him as soon as something new caught his eyes, makes something dark inside Hannibal unfurl. He is self-aware enough to know that he is developing an obsession with Will that, given the time, would turn into something out of his control. The smartest move is to let Matthew have Will and force himself out of the equation. He is imprisoned, he can't possibly do anything to keep the boy away from Matthew even if he tried, and with escape so close he can't risk Matthew's alliance.

But even so, he can't help it when Matthew implies that Will is only ignoring his advances because he is playing hard to get. 

Hannibal frowns, "Will is simply not interested in you." 

Matthew laughs forcefully, like he needs to or he'll do something unsavory instead and leaves with a suspicious glance thrown in his way. Hannibal should be careful with what he says in front of Matthew. The man knows the layout of the hospital, he has the controls of the security monitors and the recording devices. Matthew is purposeful. But he is also extremely reckless and emotional. He is prone to making impulsive decisions. Right now, Will has already pushed him to the very edge with rejection and if Hannibal didn't stop provoking him, he might turn against him.

Hannibal is torn between ending the game with Will Graham or continuing it and sabotaging his freedom. 

\--

By the time Will shows up the next day, Hannibal has made up his mind to focus on his freedom. But that proves useless as soon as he sees the flustered face of the young man. Will comes to deliver his meal and rushes back without meeting his eyes, leaving Hannibal curious as to why the younger man is feeling embarrassed. 

His answer comes when two guards escort him to the shower area with Will tagging along, still refusing to look at him. Hannibal can't help but smirk at that. _What a shy boy Will is_. 

When they reach the shower area, the guards give Will a taser gun and stay at the other end of the hall. He had to compromise on the right to privacy with Chilton by promising that he won't hurt his handler as long as they are the only one allowed to keep watch on him. Hannibal has never been more glad about that particular deal until now.

Will shuffles on his feet as if he is contemplating fleeing as Hannibal begins to strip. The guards remind Will to keep his eyes on the inmate because apparently, he can be proven dangerous by being given a soap. He is not sure why Frederick thinks that he would choose the time of his shower, when he is naked and exposed, to try to escape. But he won't complain as long as Will keeps looking at him with an appreciative gaze. It's quite amusing to watch the boy struggle with his attraction by staring at a naked serial killer. 

The icing on the cake comes in the form of Matthew who knows by just a glance that Hannibal is trying to seduce Will, and the younger man is willingly being seduced.

Hannibal knows that Matthew would make a move toward Will as soon as he got his hand on the boy, so Hannibal decides to not give Matthew the satisfaction of making that move. He nods to the guards who know what these signals mean and starts pretending to not paying attention to whatever he is doing. They must have thought that he is planning on taking a bite out of the younger man, and they are not wrong. He does, how can he not when such a delicious, flustered thing is offered to him on a silver platter. 

Oh, the smell of arousal hits Hannibal like a wall of bricks; sudden and near painful in its intensity. It takes every ounce of his self-control to not slam the boy against the wall and take him right then and there. Nobody would stop him, he knows. The guards are too scared of him and their silence can be easily bought by a couple thousands of dollars with one call to his lawyer. But he refrains, only because it is too soon. Even if Will wants him as much he wants Will, the boy would clamp up because of his sense of morality. Something has to be done about the moral pants Will is wearing before taking this any further further. 

\--

Fate, once again, proves that it does not have any regard for Hannibal's plan.

Never has Hannibal felt as helpless as he did when he watched Will being abused right in front of his eyes. He had wanted to do so many things to Miguel at that moment, every one leading to the man's demise. The feeling was reflected in Matthew's eyes too. Neither of them could do anything but watch as Miguel used Will for his repulsive intentions. Hannibal shudders thinking what could have happened to Will if the bars were not keeping him out. 

If nothing else, then out of this unspeakably sickening situation Hannibal gets to see behind the person suit Will wears.

As soon as Will escapes from Miguel's clutches, the younger man rains down his fists until Matthew has to drag him away. He is thankful for Matthew for letting Will have his revenge. Will snarls and thrash violently against Matthew, still blinded by rage. As marvelous as witnessing this feral side of Will is, Hannibal knows that he must help the boy calm with the help of Matthew - much to Hannibal's displeasure.

Matthew lingers, wanting to take Will with him but the boy chooses to stay. Once everyone leaves, Hannibal takes great care of not letting Will break. What happened to the boy is going to affect him psychologically. It would be better if Will is gone from this place where he will undoubtedly face Miguel again, but Hannibal is a selfish man and he is not ready to give up the boy yet. He is not sure he can even if he tried. 

\--

Hannibal is honestly not expecting Will to show up any time soon at BSHCI - if he did at all - so he is quite surprised to see Will waiting for him to be chained for his evening walk. It seems that Frederick has not granted Will the time off he deserves. It doesn't take a genius to see how frayed the poor boy is, barely managing to stand upright.

Hannibal will need to have a chat with Frederick if the man keeps this up. Hannibal is aware of the man's vulgar advances towards some of the new nurses who don't have any other choice but to tolerate the harassment. While Will is more than capable of handling situations like those, he believes that the boy avoids resorting to violence. and after today, he has to make sure that something like this doesn't happen to Will again or he won't stay no matter what. And the thought of Will leaving for good leaves a sour taste in his mouth. 

Hannibal doesn't force Will to talk to him as they stroll through the garden. He even cut his walk short to give Will a chance to get off-duty earlier. His efforts do not go unnoticed and are appreciated - not that he was doing so for approval. Hannibal watches the younger man leave, hoping to get another chance to see him soon. 

\--

Later that night, when the lights have turned out and the inmates have settled for the night, the guards are lazy enough to not notice the camera of the medical ward turn off for exactly seventeen minutes. Nobody notices a thing amiss until the next morning when they find Miguel 'Multiple Miggs' Smith dead.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't think that there's a need for trigger warning for murder in this fandom but if you rather skip the details about Miggs' murder skip the italic part between two (*).
> 
> this chapter is written by [MaddieContrary](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MaddieContrary/pseuds/MaddieContrary), [Kai_99](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kai_99/pseuds/Kai_99) and [Selyne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selyne/pseuds/Selyne).  
> beta'd by [XxEnchainesChatonxX](https://archiveofourown.org/users/XxEnchainesChatonxX/pseuds/XxEnchainesChatonxX)

Will have a rough night. His nightmares are filled with the images of Miggs; assault on him with vague notions of Chilton or Matthew replacing Miggs. Confusing scenes of _Hannibal_ replacing Miggs. He keeps waking up with his heart pounding - sometimes half hard too. Will gives up on trying to sleep after four a.m. His nightmares are not something new, but the context of them is.

In the safety of his house, even with the memories that keep troubling him in his every waking and sleeping moment, it doesn’t feel real like it happened to him. The past two days don't feel real. He keeps touching his cheek just to feel the flesh sting to make sure that he hadn't hallucinated the whole meeting with Doctor Lecter.

Will sighs and takes another sip from the near empty bottle of whiskey. He is aware how stupid it is drinking when he is supposed to be at work in a few hours, but he needs the alcohol to numb his senses a little. He won’t be able to tolerate both Chilton and Matthew with his empathy working at a hundred percent today; or even Doctor Lecter for that matter. The older man saw Will at his most humiliating and vulnerable moment, saw Will absorb the violent personality near him and let loose the darkness locked inside himself. Doctor Lecter had seen how untethered he was after beating Miggs, unable to get back in his headspace and became his paddle. Guiding Will back to the safety of his own thoughts. The man saw more of Will than anyone ever had in the entire world; even his parents couldn't understand him like Doctor Lecter. It is as much elating as it is frightening.

And then there's this strange sort of attraction between them. Or maybe it's just Will and Doctor Lecter knows about it somehow and is toying with him. Because who wouldn't want to play with a freak who is getting wet dreams of a man he just met two days ago, not to mention that said man is a cannibalistic serial killer. He is so fucked up in the head. He wonders if it's the result of spending so much time in the heads of killers that his wires are starting to get crossed.

Will turns on his stomach and groans loudly. He is doing it again, thinking over things too much and reading into things that aren't there. This is normally where he would get out of bed and go make breakfast for his dogs, they were a good distraction whenever he needed an escape from his thoughts. But unfortunately he had to give them all up after he lost his job at the FBI academy. He knew he couldn't afford their expenses on the odd jobs and not wanting them to suffer for even a minute because of his failings, he gave them up to good families where they would be loved. He could have kept one or two of them but it didn't seem fair to choose. He misses them all terribly.

He is contemplating between trying to sleep again or going for a morning jog before his phone vibrates, alerting him to a call. He looks at the time and frowns. Who is calling him at five in the morning? He grabs the phone and wants to throw it at a wall after seeing who is calling.

_Frederick Fucking Chilton._

He doesn't accept the call in fear of what the man wants at this hour, but Chilton keeps calling again and again. Will is about to put it on mute when he realizes that maybe there is some sort of emergency in the hospital. An unpleasant thought of something happening to Doctor Lecter makes him accept the call.

"Mister Graham! Where are you?"

Will is instantly sitting up at the anger in Chilton's voice.

"I'm home."

"Get here now!"

Chilton doesn't wait for Will to reply before he cuts off the call. Will sits in shock for a few seconds before scrambling quickly to the bathroom to get cleaned up.

\--

Due to the lack of traffic because of the late hours, Will manages to get to the hospital in just half an hour. He has spent the whole drive in a state of anxiousness, thinking the worst has happened. He races into the hospital and sees Doctor Lecter strapped on a dolly with a straight jacket and a mask that covers the bottom half of his face. An orderly is pushing the dolly to the elevator, two armed guards flanking them.

Will ignores Matthew calling his name from the other direction and runs towards the elevator.

"Hey! Wait!"

The guards tighten the hold on their weapons in alarm but the other orderly lets them know who Will is.

"What's happening? Where are you taking him?"

Will doesn't think about what he is doing and starts touching Doctor Lecter to make sure that the man is alright. He feels the man tense under his hands and wants to die of shame for overreacting so much. He swiftly pulls his hands back and mumbles an apology.

"Down to the solitary confinement cells. Chilton's order."

"What? Why!?"

The guards look annoyed by him at this point. Dealing with Chilton and Doctor Lecter so early in the morning must have been a bitch, but this is _his_ patient they are dealing with and he needs to know if Chilton is doing this just to be petty, because then, Chilton is going to get a piece of his mind.

"Look man, Chilton didn't tell us anything. We're just doing our job."

Will bites back the urge to snap at the guards in anger. This hospital wouldn't be in this much of a toxic environment if people would stop to think about what they are doing instead of following orders like mindless sheep. Chilton has dug up dirt on every one of his employees or deliberately created a situation where they owed something to him - like Will now - and keeps them all under his thumb.

Until now Chilton has been in a silent war with Doctor Lecter. Chilton could have made the other man's life a living hell under his care but he never crossed his limits. So what happened that made Chilton take such extreme measures?

Will gazes up at Doctor Lecter, the few inches of difference between their heights is more prominent because of the dolly. The man is staring at Will with the usual intensity, like he wants to peel Will's head back and see what's inside.

"I'll get you out," he promises.

He knows he shouldn't make promises he can't keep but he feels like he owes Doctor Lecter this much, after all, the man has been nothing but courteous towards him, even going out of his way to make sure Will is alright after the whole Miggs’ situation.

Doctor Lecter doesn't say anything, Will knows he won't talk because of the mask but there is an acknowledgement in those caramel eyes. Will keeps his eyes on Doctor Lecter as he steps out of the elevator. When the door closes he stalking towards Chilton's office.

Will stops in front of the office and takes a deep breath to steel his nerves. He doesn't bother to knock before entering. Chilton is walking around the office in circles while talking to someone on the phone. The man is clearly stressed about something. Chilton holds a finger, indicating for Will to wait as he finishes his call. He ends the call and walks toward Will with malice in his eyes.

Will forces himself to not take a step back or to stand in a defensive position. Chilton comes to stand too close to him, showing no respect for his personal space. Will's hand twitches from the urge to punch the man.

"Mister Graham, do you have any idea how much trouble you are for me?" Will almost flinches at the way Chilton leers at him, "I knew you were trouble the moment I saw you!"

Will doesn’t understand what Chilton is talking about. If this turns out to be some elaborate ploy to get in Will's pants, he swears that he'll beat this fucker right then and there; consequences be damned.

"Do you know why you're here?" Chilton asks. 

_Oh, God._

This old routine is going to be the death of him. Will wants to roll his eyes at the stupid attempt at intimidation tactics. He would suggest Chilton go and learn properly from Doctor Lecter but he is not _that_ drunk.

"No, sir."

"A man was killed last night."

Will blinks in shock.

Chilton walks around the desk and sits, gesturing Will to take a seat too. The man pours whiskey into two tumblers and offers one to him. He mumbles a thanks and takes a small sip, not trusting himself with more alcohol after the amount he drank at home. This is not how he saw this meeting going at all. 

He waits for Chilton to finish his drink before speaking, "Who was it?"

Chilton regards him with a hard look and opens the top drawer of his desk, pulling out a few photographs.

"Miguel Smiths."

A cold chill of dread runs through Will at hearing the man's name. He forces his gaze to not linger on the photographs because he knows what would happen if he did.

"Last night Hannibal complained of chest pains, and he was taken to the dispensary. The doctors asked his restraints to be removed as they had to hook him up to the electrocardiograph machine. I agreed. We don't know what transpired after the doctor left him there for the overnight observation because the cameras were down conveniently. But we found Miguel dead this morning.

"Miguel's hands and tongue were surgically removed. No doubt in who's dunnit, we didn't find the tongue. Hannibal's pulse never got over eighty five throughout it, even when he ate the tongue.” 

Will is dumbstruck. He has no words to comprehend what to think about all of this. He leans back in the uncomfortable seat and drinks all the whiskey in two gulps. It seems he was wrong about his initial assessment, he is going to need _a lot_ of alcohol to survive this day.

Will takes a deep breath and tries to organize his thoughts.

Doctor Lecter murdered Miggs - no, he tortured Miggs before killing the man. Will doesn't need to be at the crime scene to _see_ the older man's design. The pictures are enough. This time, Will’s curiosity gets the better of him as he gazes at the pictures and lets the pendulum swing.

*

_I cut off his hands first, the hands that he used to abuse and violate with. The hands that touched what was not his to touch._

_I take his tongue next, he doesn't deserve it. All he does is wag it around. I pry open his jaw with my bare hands, his teeth digs in my hands but I will not be deterred._

_I need to avenge_ **him**.

_No matter what punishment I conjure up, it is not enough, the damage he caused is irreparable. He doesn't deserve to die so easily, he must suffer for what he did. I tilt his head back, making the blood pour down his airway, choking him. I take great pleasure as he tries to fight my hold, but it's useless._

_I'm the hand that will avenge_ **him**. _I will end what_ **he** _started. I will complete_ **his** _design._

_*_

Will gasps and jerks back, nearly falling off his seat. He grabs the table and digs his palms at the edge of the table, the dull pain grounding him. He keeps his eyes open in fear of falling again into the killer's - _Doctor Lecter's_ \- mindset.

This is why Will has always hated doing this. He can tolerate the brutal and violent thoughts going through the killer's mind when they murder, but it's the after that he doesn't know how to deal with. He always struggles with distinguishing between his thoughts and those of the invading personality’s. It always leaves him unmoored. Untethered. Left alone to navigate the clashing ocean waves of the other's thoughts.

He is jumping between his horror and the killer's elation, and amid all that there is a growing sense of pleased satisfaction that Doctor Lecter murdered Miggs for _him_.

"Mister Graham, are you alright?"

Will nods, pushing his glasses aside to rub at his eyes until he sees white spots. As if he’s trying to erase the images from his head.

"So this is that thing you do. You are quite the topic of conversation in psychiatric circles."

_Oh, hell._

In his curiosity to see Doctor Lecter's design, Will forgot that Chilton is there to witness his little performance. He wants to slam his head into the desk at his stupidity.

"I am?" he asks warily. 

"Oh yes, a unique cocktail of personality disorders and neuroses that makes - or at least, made you a highly skilled profiler. We’re woefully short of material on your sort of thing, Mister Graham. Would you mind talking to me some other time? Over dinner perhaps?"

Will doesn't need an overactive imagination to know how that would go.

Chilton is looking at him expectantly. He is supposed to give an answer right now, he can't brush off Chilton. Not if he doesn't want to end up on the streets. Will knows Chilton chose this exact moment to make a move for a precise reason. The man has already turned the Miggs' situation around and completely looked over what Miggs did to him and instead blamed him for power abuse. It won't be that difficult to get Will mixed into the murder too.

Nobody would believe Will, he already has been labelled 'insane' in the eyes of the public thanks to Freddie Lounds. If anyone even get a wind of Will's involvement in the murder, he would be hanged for the crimes he didn't commit.

Will can bet all his money that if he refused, Chilton would blackmail him to come to the dinner anyways. It doesn't matter what Will chooses, the outcome is going to remain the same. The least he could do is control the damage.

If he agrees now Chilton won't have to use force, he'd be happy to think that Will agreed on his own. He won't be on his guard around Will all the time then. At the very least, it'll get Will enough time to think about what he is going to do.

Besides, he needs to get Doctor Lecter out of the confinement cell. He made a promise and he won't be able to fulfill that if he makes Chilton his enemy now.

"I'm a bit busy for a few days but yeah sure."

Chilton smirks at him like he is already imagining stripping Will in his mind. Will shudders in disgust, praying that he could find a way to get away from Chilton before that happens.

"Um - I should head back to home."

Will is not actually planning to go home. He might not be able to get Doctor Lecter out today but he would not abandon the man down there all alone.

"Whatever for, Mister Graham?" Chilton asks in an outrageous voice.

"With Doctor Lecter locked away I don't have much to do here so I thought I'll take a day or two off."

"Oh no, no. He seems to like you for some reason, it is unlikely that he would kill you. You will perform your duties like before except he is not allowed the privileges of walking and showering daily."

Will make sure to keep his face neutral as he stutters out a 'yes, sir' and leaves quickly, afraid that Chilton will see through his performance. He can’t believe he fooled Chilton so easily. 

As soon as he is outside, Will breathes a sigh of relief. Being near Chilton feels like thousands of bugs are crawling under his skin.

He nearly sprints to grab Doctor Lecter's breakfast before making his way down. The confinement cells are in the second level basement. It's a long hallway, with only six cells in total on either side.

The guard from the earlier - Theodore - raises his brow at Will, "What are you doing here?"

"What does it look like? I'm here to see Doctor Lecter."

"Doctor Chilton - "

Will groans - _why does everyone want to test his patience today?_ \- and cuts off Theodore before he ends up slamming the food tray into the other man's face, "He asked me to do it, alright? Now move outta my way."

Will lets enough menace slip into his tone that the guard backs down instantly. Will lifts his hand, waiting for the key which is thankfully provided without any further delay. He is pretty sure that Chilton doesn’t want him actually going inside the cell but until the man tells him not to, he is going to do what he wants. 

"He is in the cell on your left. Be careful with Lecter," Theodore warns him.

Will doesn't bother replying before walking down the hallway. He has to force himself to not run like a maniac because the guard is still watching him. He opens the cell and enters, shutting the door after him.

The inside of the cell is very congested, a small cot is pushed at the back with a scratchy blanket and a pillow that looks like it was chewed on by dogs, he would know after all. Besides that there is just a bucket as a substitute for the toilet. Doctor Lecter is sitting on the cot with his back against the metal wall, he is so lost in thoughts that he does not acknowledge Will's presence. Will has heard about Doctor Lecter's memory palace, it was quite a talk among the psychiatric journals after the man's incarceration. Will’s throat closes at the guilt he feels as he realizes that Doctor Lecter is in his memory palace because he wants to escape his surroundings. 

Doctor Lecter must be aware of the consequences of his actions, but even knowing so, the man sacrificed the comfort of his cell and killed the man that wronged Will.

Will should be horrified and scared, but all he feels is gratitude and relief that he won't have to see that disgusting man ever again. He is truly pleased that Doctor Lecter did what he could not.

Will places the tray on the floor and walks further into the cell, stopping in front of the older man. He places a hand on Doctor Lecter's thigh tentatively to shake him but the man grabs his wrist so fast that Will lets out a surprised yelp.

"Will?"

Doctor Lecter blinks at him in surprise and wonder, harsh features turning soft.

"Hi, it’s me," he says like an idiot.

Doctor Lecter chuckles, not mockingly, but fondly, "Hello, darling boy."

His stomach flutters at the unexpected yet not unwelcome term of endearment.

"I'm surprised Frederick let you down here so soon."

"You underestimate me, Doctor Lecter."

"I don't underestimate you at all, but I admit that you always surpass my expectations."

"You talk like you know me for three years and not three days."

Will doesn't pull away as Doctor Lecter tucks a curl behind his ear - he really needs a haircut - and trails a finger down to his jaw and neck, making him swallow thickly. Will is disappointed for some reason when Doctor Lecter pulls his hand back instead of continuing on the path down his shirt. The older man notices - of course he does - and smirks. Will huffs and shoves him playfully.

"I… uh gotta go before Chilton comes down here to drag me out himself. I'll be back with lunch in a few hours."

"I'll be here."

The hours that pass seem interminable as Will waits for lunchtime. He's almost surprised at his own eagerness in carrying out his duty, though he knows that his ultimate goal in mind is to return to Doctor Lecter's side. It seems like his enthusiasm could match the doctor's, which should be a terrifying thought. And yet, it's exhilarating instead.

Once Will finishes his lunch, his feet carry him onwards to his next destination. He tries to keep an even pace, aware that to show such overt signs to the other orderlies (and possibly the other inmates) would be a dangerous slip. There's no telling who Chilton has asked to keep watch over all of them; the man may look like a fool, but Will knows that he can be much slyer than expected, especially if he notices how much Will and Doctor Lecter seem eager to meet each other.

He gives Theodore a nod as he enters the hallway and makes his way to Doctor Lecter's cell. Evidently, Will is not the only one who has been excited for their reunion. 

Doctor Lecter looks up expectantly when Will enters the small cell, the smile on his face spreading is almost radiant as his eyes drink Will in hungrily. The man’s eyes never leave Will as he places the food tray on the table next to the cot before turning to the other man.

"Thank you, Will. Though I must say lunch looks less appetizing, even more so than usual."

Will snorts. "You can thank Chilton for that, Doctor Lecter. Sorry."

"No need to apologize, dear boy," Doctor Lecter replies. "And please, if we were to continue to speak with each other in this manner, I would prefer you call me Hannibal."

Will’s breath almost stutters to a stop at the invitation to use the doctor's name, even though he knows that he'd be a fool for falling for that. It's a clever way to build intimacy, but he can't deny that it works. 

"Of course, Hannibal."

Will savors the way Hannibal's eyes flash at the way he practically drawls out his name.

_Two can play at that game, after all._

\--

Will takes a break after delivering lunch to Doctor Lecter and drives to the nearest Mcdonald's to grab lunch for himself. He knows that if he had stayed Chilton would have called him to the office for this or that. He needs time to determine how to proceed with the situation he has gotten himself into.

He has somehow gotten the attention of one of the most sadistic serial killers in the world. Will had read the Chesapeake Ripper's murders when he taught at the FBI, he has always admired the morbid artistic quality in each tableau and felt jealous that he never got the chance to see the Ripper in action. That he didn't get the chance to hunt the Ripper down and catch the man himself. Of course, he does realize that if he had come close to the Ripper then he would have not made it out alive but the thought never scared him. Rather it excites him. It's almost a mercy for him that the Ripper is locked in an asylum and not making the FBI run in circles because who knows what would have happened if Will had met the man outside of a controlled environment.

Now that Will has seen the man, peeked behind the mask that the Ripper wears even now, his curiosity has increased instead of waning. They might have caught Doctor Lecter, but they didn't solve the puzzle that is Ripper's mind. They can't.

Only Will possess the ability to _see_ . And he will. Eventually. He has been hesitating in seeing Doctor Lecter completely, not in fear of what he might discover or anything but because he knows that _Doctor Lecter_ is not ready to be seen so completely. It's an unnerving feeling, he knows, because he feels the same way in the older man's presence.

Will keeps reminding himself to be careful around Doctor Lecter, but it's like his higher brain functions stop working whenever he is around the man. He is being impulsive and that never turned out to be a good thing for anyone. Already, his impulsive decisions made him lose his guard enough that... that a man violated him.

He can't afford to put aside his inhibitions just because he never felt any sort of violent intentions from Doctor Lecter. He can't forget that the man is a serial killer, that this man used to manipulate his patients for his amusement. And until Will has a solid reason to believe otherwise, he stands in the same category as many before him.

What Will said to Matthew is true, he is not unaware of Doctor Lecter’s subtle manipulations. He knows all the tricks after all. But that doesn't mean that he is immune to them. Doctor Lecter has this aura that pulls everyone to him - like flies to the spider’s web - and Will is helpless to resist, helpless but to respond to the older man's every action with a reaction of his own.

It also doesn't help that Will is not particularly trying to resist the man’s advances.

How can he, when he is too busy delighting under the attention of the older man like a bird preening as its being courted. And doesn't that thought makes Will squirm with pleasure.

Will is well and truly fucked. 

He knows that continuing this - whatever this is - with Doctor Lecter is dangerous and it might end up with him dead. The wisest decision would be to quit his job and get far away from Doctor Lecter's slowly enclosing clutches and Chilton's greedy fingers. But he can't, he is in too deep. He can't back out now. He has to know how this is going to end, even if it is his death.

He never claimed to be sane anyhow.

Besides, he still has a promise to keep. It didn't escape his notice that Doctor Lecter is not eating. The man barely took three bites from each meal before pushing it away and talking to him instead. He knows that the man is deliberately starving himself. Doctor Lecter won't tolerate the indignity of using the bucket.

Will didn't say anything even as his stomach clenches with anxiety at the thought of the older man starving. He knows too much about empty stomachs and rationalizing when his dad couldn't find enough jobs to pay for groceries. He can't let Doctor Lecter suffer like that, not when the man is in that position because of him.

Will rubs his eyes as he parks his car back in the parking lot of the BSHCI. He sits in the car and stares ahead, trying to find a way to help Doctor Lecter that does not include getting in bed with Chilton. He only agreed to the dinner because he needed time to come up with a plan without Chilton making his life a living hell more than it already is.

Will gets out of the car and is walking back when he sees Matthew talking to one of the nurses. The other orderly glances at Will and turns back to his conversation, clearly pissed by Will's continuous dismal. Will is ready to go about his way when an idea strikes him.

_Matthew._

Matthew has worked under Chilton for years and from what Will gained by the other Orderly's stories, he is pretty tight with Chilton. Will has heard Chilton and Matthew talking in the office about the other employees and patients. It seems like Matthew is Chilton's inside man. If Matthew talks to Chilton about getting Doctor Lecter back in the cell, it just might work.

One day earlier, Matthew would have wagged his metaphorical tail at the chance to do something for Will. Too bad Will fucked up that yesterday. Now he has to butter up the other man.

He approaches Matthew and timidly waits for the man to notice his presence. He is playing the part of a nervous little boy deliberately. He can't very well turn a three sixty from brushing off Matthew to throwing himself at the man, middle ground is his safe bet.

The nurse nudges Matthew and points in Will's direction to alert him to Will's presence.

"I'll talk to ya later, Shelly."

The nurse - Shelly - nods to them both with a smile and walks away. Matthews turns to regard him and leans against the counter behind. Going for the playing-cool look, which is completely ruined by the utter amazement Will can see in his eyes.

"Hello there, Will. What can I do for ya?"

"I - uh - I wanted to apologize for yesterday," he stammers out embarrassingly. 

Matthew smiles, too pleased with himself, and grabs Will's hands, which he was wringing without even noticing. He is surprisingly good at this whole acting thing.

"Well, I was a bit surprised cause of ya tantrum yesterday but I get it, that Lecter guy got in ya head. Right?"

Will swallows back the harsh words that want to escape from his lips as he hears Matthew bad mouth Doctor Lecter again. Instead, he furrows his brows in worry and bites his bottom lip before nodding, "I don't know what came over me, I was unnecessarily rude with you. I'm sorry."

"Ah, water under the bridge and all that right? We're cool. Don't worry 'bout it."

Will gives Matthew a sheepish smile and tugs back his arm lightly, but Matthew doesn't let him go. Will darts his eyes up to the other man's and quickly looks away. He really hopes he is not laying it too thick. It needs to be just a perfect blend of skittishness and timidness.

_Time to lure the prey._

"Um, I have to go oversee Doctor Lecter's dinner in the kitchen."

As expected, Matthew's eyes darken at the mention of the older man's name and he tightens his grip on Will's arm enough to cause discomfort.

"He killed a man, Will, you shouldn't be with him alone."

"I know," Will somehow manages to pour enough distress in these whispered words that Matthew's face tightens with worry.

It is clear that the man has feelings for Will. He just doesn't know how to approach Will without coming on as too overbearing. Or maybe it's Will who doesn't know about the dating rituals with men. Will was just fifteen when he kissed a boy for the first and only time; his neighbor's son who was Will's class fellow for five months before his dad made them move away again. 

Will _almost_ feels guilt for using Matthew like this, but this kind of feeling has no place here. He needs to hook his prey.

"What's the matter? Did he do somethin'?"

Will half-heartedly tries to pull his arm again, as if he doesn't want to talk about it. "He did nothing," he says in a tight voice.

"I'm not gonna let ya go until I get my answers."

Will glares at Matthew in mock frustration before pointing to his cheek where the dark bruise is and says, "he did this."

Will admits that he kind of overplayed the last part a bit because Matthew seems to vibrate with unleashed rage. Trying to stop Matthew from marching down to confront Doctor Lecter is like trying to wrestle with a bull. Why is everybody so Goddamn _huge_ compared to him? 

"I'll fuckin' kill that son of a bitch. How fuckin’ dare he lay a hand on ya?"

Worried that the other man is going to do something stupid and this whole thing is going to blow in his face royally, he grabs Matthew's other arm and directs the attention back to him.

"Matthew, don't be stupid. You said it yourself that he is dangerous. He can hurt you."

While Will is shameless enough to use Matthew's feelings to his advantage, he does not want the man to really get hurt because of him. Who knows what Doctor Lecter might do to Matthew.

Instead of having the effect of putting some sense in the man, Matthew gets angrier as if Will has insulted him somehow.

"Ya think I can't take on him huh? He's not that good, I am better than him in everythin’."

"Matthew that's not - "

"I'm not the one sittin’ behind bars, alright?"

Will wants to slap this pig-headed man so much that his hand twitches with the phantom sensation of it making contact with Matthew's skin but he curbs it. Instead, he grabs Matthew from his shoulders and stands directly in front of him, their chests touching with their movements until Matthew calms enough to listen to him.

"This is why I didn't want to tell you. I knew you're gonna get me in trouble."

"Gettin' you away from that fucker is trouble for ya?"

"Yes, it is. Because if you tell Chilton, he would either fire me or make me his personal 'secretary' for complaining."

Matthew grits his jaw but thankfully he is not trying to engage in a fight with Doctor Lecter anymore. Even the other orderly knows what it entails for being Chilton's secretary.

"And I can't sit back and watch him touch ya, do ya understand?"

"I do, but I don't have any choice. I need this job.”

"I can talk to Chilton, he'd give you some easier job or transfer you to different - "

"He won't."

"Let me at least ask him, Will," Matthew pleads.

This is his chance. Will can either let Matthew talk to Chilton and maybe he'll get away from Doctor Lecter and his games, or he can end what he started and worry about his choices later. Unsurprisingly, Will chooses the latter option.

"If you want to do something for me, get him out of that cell."

Matthew's brows raise in surprise at his request.

"I'm scared of going there. He can do whatever he wants to me and no one would notice until it's too late.”

_There._

He laid it all out. With yesterday's incident fresh in everybody's mind, he doesn't have to do much other than look like he is on the verge of tears, which considering everything is not that difficult. _God bless his kicked puppy face._

It's no surprise that Matthew looks unsure about his request, confused between wanting to help him and the danger of letting Doctor Lecter back in his cell.

Will slowly drags his hands down Matthew's shoulder to his forearm while keeping his gaze low, giving the illusion of helplessness and fear.

"Forget I said anything. It was stupid of me to ask you that," Will lets out a shaky breath as he delivers his final blow while lightly caressing Matthew’s forearms, "its not your purview anyways."

The other orderly scoffs at him and gives him a smug smile, "You'd be surprised to know what I can do."

_And Matthew is hooked._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you know that the author of many amazing fics like A Consequence Of Consumption, An Immutable Truth and The Postman's Knock, [ironlotus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ironlotus/pseuds/ironlotus) has created an 18+ server [ACOC](https://discord.gg/sJXpg9Dfvu) for fans to gush about hannigram? We brainstorm ideas, give prompts, play games, and rec fics like there's no tomorrow. If that's not enough to entice you to join us, I'll let you know that we also have two Interactive stories going on where we choose how the story progresses!


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